Shim and method of making the same



H. H. STEPHENS AND T. GRAY.

SHlM AND METHOD 'OF MAKING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.24. I919.

. 3 5 291 Patented Jan. 11,1921.

2 SHEHS-SHEEI I.

FIQJ- 7 INVENT Wfi L M39 '21; ATTORNEY.

H. H. STEPHENS AND T. GRAY. SHIM AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.A-PPLlCATlON HLED MAR.24| 1919.

1,365,291 Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY n. STEPHENS, or rn'rnnson, AND THOMAS GRAY, or JERSEY crrmimwJERSEY.-

SI-IIM AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

Application filed March 24, 1919. Serial a. 284,531.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY H. STEPHENs and. THOMAS GRAY, citizensof theUnited States, residing, respectively, in Paterson and Jersey City,State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Shims and Methods of Making the Same, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention resides in laminated shims such as commonly employed forholding apart at predetermined or desirable distance parts of machinery,as bearings and the like. i

As commonly employed, shims consist of a plurality of thin sheets ofbrass or other suitable material disposed in a group and insertedbetween the two parts which are to be held togetherat predetermineddistance from each other, one or more of these thin sheets of laminabeing removed from time to time as wear or other occasion may require.

Our invention resides in a laminated shim in which the shim laminae arebound or held together until such time as the thickness of the shim isto be reduced by removing one or more of its'laminae. In accord-' ancewith our invention the laminae are bound or held together by solder orother suitable binder applied throughout or substantially throughout theentire exposed edges of the laminae, the solder or binder overlying theedges of all the laminae and so holding them firmly to each other, withtheir metallic faces in intimate contact with each other withoutintervening binder, as solder, or other compressible material.

Our invention resides in a laminated shim whose laminae are so heldtogether which may comprise, in addition to the thin removable laminae,an underlying sheet or lamina, base or backing of relatively greaterthickness, and of material differing from or similar to the material ofthe laminae.

Our invention resides also in the method of producing laminated shims.

For an illustration of our shim and for an understanding of our method,reference is had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure lis a planview of our shim.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same.

Figs. 3 and 4 areplan and edge views,

of shim emthe belt or conveyer in cross section with a clamp holdingmember attached. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a plurality of laminae a,of thin sheet steel, brass or other suitable material, for example about.003-

inch in thickness, are held in fixed position I with respect to eachother, with the metallic faces of the shim laminae in close contact witheach other, without intervening solder or other compressible material, bsolder I) applied all around the edges of the laminae and bridging theiredges, and so holding them snugly in facial contact with eachv other.The solder b is of any suitable thickness, but is preferably a ver thincoat, the indication of the solder in ig. 1 being exaggerated for thesake of clearness. The shim laminae have registering bolt holes a. Theedges of the laminae a within the bolt hole may, if desired, also becoated and bridged with solder I), though we prefer to omit solder fromholes 0, as indicated. However, our invention is not limited to socoating the laminae edges within the bolt hole or holes. The laminaeamay be grouped together as described, and so form a complete shim, orthere may be associated therewith a backing or base plate d of steel orother suitable material of relatively greater thickness than thelaminae. The backing plate d may also be held to the laminae a by thesolder/b, which also extends to and covers the edge of the sheet d,holding the sheet 21 and thelaminae a in. single group.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the structure is the same as described in connectionwith Figs. 1 and 2, except that the shim is of, another common form,namely, one suitable for a main bear.-

ing or other structure requiring two bolt holes 0, 0, having thereinsolder 6.

hen the shims have been constructed as described, they may be employedas shims usually are employed, between parts which are to be heldsecurely together but at a predetermined distance from each other.

In case of wear, our shim may be removed and the solder between thedesired neighboring laminae as may be penetrated by a knife point orother sharp instrument, thus lifting or removing one or more laminaefrom the rest by rupturing the thin solder bond at the extreme edges,the neighboring faces of the shim laminae being clean or free of solderor other binding or compressible material.

The separation of the shim laminae may be facilitated by first removingthe solder 1) throughout the thickness of the shim, as at one endthereof, 6 Figs. 1 and 3, leaving the shim lamina exposed at such smallor narrow region, to facilitate entry of the pointed instrument forremoving one or more laminae, as may be desired. This removal of solderor binder, as at 6 may be accomplished by touching the shim to an emerywheel or the like, which will grind off the binder at the desiredlocality and so expose the edges of the laminae.

Any other mode of locality removing the solder may be resorted to; orthe edges of the laminm may be suitably covered or otherwise treatedlocally to prevent adherence of solder or binder throughout suchrestricted locality.

Our shim is practically incompressible, because between the shim laminaethere is no solder, binder or other compressible material Our shim isparticularly incompressible when the laminae a are made of steel, ourpreferred combination being that comprising laminae a of steel with thebacking or base (Z also of steel.

compressibility of a shim, as where solder or other binder, or othercompressible material exists between the laminae, is a disadvantage, andcompressibility is increased as the number of laminae in the shim isincreased.

Furthermore, shim structures of predetermined thickness employingsolder, binder, or compressible material between the neighboringlaminae, as above referred to, and with a predetermined number oflaminae, involve or require thinner laminae because of the presence ofthe intervening material. Such reduction in thickness of the laminaeinvolves greater cost of sheet material than in the case where thelaminae themselves are relatively thicker, as in our structure.

The amount of solder or binder required in our structure is materiallyless than that required where the adjacent laminae faces are solderedtogether by a film of solder throughout in total thickness.

A method for producing our shims rapidly and inexpensively is thefollowing.

Sheets of metal from which the laminae a and base (i are to be formedare procured in any suitable size, the thicknesses of the sheets tocorrespond, respectively, with the thicknesses of the laminae a and base03.

If for example, shims are to be produced having a base (i of of an inchthickness and four laminae each of a thickness of .003 inch, upon asheet or plate of steel or other material of inch thickness are laid orstacked on top of each other four sheets of steel or other material eachof .003 inch thickness. Then either upon the exposed face of the basesheet of inch thickness, or upon the exposed face of the fourth or toplamina forming sheet is placed a sheet of paper, which may be held inplace, if necessary, by paste or any other suitable means.

These stacked metal sheets or plates are temporarily bound together bysuitable clamps for holding them in fixed relation with each otherduring the punching operation.

From the sheets so stacked are then punched shim groups of.:the desiredsha e or form, such for example as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, or anyother suitable shape, the bolt holes 0 being simultaneously punched.

As each shim group comes from the punching press, it is placed or fallson to an assembling structure or tool, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.In this structure there is provided a suitable base plate 6, to whichare secured the vertical guides f, f and post 9, the latter beingsuitably tapered or conical at its upper end, and entering the boltholes 0.

The guides f, f and post 9 are high or long enough to accommodate alarge number of ISJhim groups, for example, 50 to 100 in num- There arecollected then upon the assembly tool a large number of shim groups,each comprising a base element (1, laminae a and a sheet of paper h.

A suitable number of shim groups is removed from the assembling tool andheld in a clamp, Figs. 7 and 8, comprising the clamp jaws z and jpivoted to each other at is, the jaw j having a lug Zthrough which isthreaded the screw m, having turning handle a and abutting against thecompanion jaw member 2'. By suitably turning the handle a the jaws z andj are forced toward each soldered at their edges within the bolt hole 0,

may have formed the jaw members 2' and 8 t 1g. 1n connec ion therein, asindicated in with the jaw member z', a slot 0 which extends upwardly toallow ingress of solder or binder into the alined bolt holes 0 in thestack of shim groups held between the jaws z and' j. The slots 0 are,however, preferably omitted.

Each clamp structure is provided with a polygonal opening p or othersuitable means for supporting it against rotation on a member w carriedby a structure which moves the clamp and the shim groups held therebythrough suitable baths.

Referring to Fig. 9, g is a bath of acid or other liquid whosecomposition or nature is such' as to clean or' prepare the edges of theshim laminae for receiving solder or other binder, a bath of which isshown at 1' within a receptacle 8 of metal or other suitable materialwhich may be either exteriorly or interiorly heated to keep the solderor binder r at suitable operative temperature.

Disposed in suitable relation with respect to the bathsg and 1' are thewheels t over which passes the belt, chain or other flexible band a,driven by one of the wheels t, which in turn may be driven bgvlbelt odriven by an electric or other, motor Carried by and spaced along thebelt u are the members an upon which are slid the clamps, each clampholding a plurality of shim groups, as indicated in Fig. 7.

The lower side of the belt u travels toward the right, as indicated bythe arrow. At the left end of the structure illustrated in Fig. 9, aseach member w passes, a clamp holding the shim groups is slid thereon.The belt it passes over the roller wand under the roller y downwardlyadjacent the bath' 9 into which the clamp carries the shim groups whoseedges are throughout their entire ex-' tents wetted and prepared by theliquid 9. The clamps and their shim groups pass toward the right throughthe acid q, and then are carried upwardly out of the bath 9 by passageof the belt a under the third roller y and over the fourth roller m. Thebelt 7/. then passes over the further pairs of rollers w and y carryingthe clamps and the shim groups carried thereby,- and whose edges arepreviously preparedby the liquid 9, downwardly and into the solder orother binding material 7', which adheres to the edges of all the sheetsheld by the clamps, producing a film of solder or binder over the edgesand across the adjacent edges. The clamps and shim groups rise out ofthe bath q and are suitably cooled, as by blowing air thereon, and afterpassing the last roller w the clamps and Shims held thereby are removedfrom the supporting elements w.

Due to the triangular or equivalent shape of members w and openings p,the clamps cannot rotate or move with respect to belt a, and so theclamps and shim groups are forced beneath the surface of the solder 1'on which they might otherwise float.

The clamp members 7' and i are preferably made of some material to whichthe solder will not adhere, and preferably also of 'a material such aswill not be seriously attacked by the acid or preparing liquid 9. Themembers i and j may be made of aluminum or any other suitable material.

Considering a clamp with its contained shim groups with a coat of solderover their edges as having been removed from the belt a, the clamps areremoved and we then have a plurality of shims held to each other bysolder, each consisting of a plurality of laminae soldered together attheir edges; but between shims or shim groups are the sheets of paper hholding neighboring shims slightly apart, though the solder b hasextended across the edge of the paper, which is preferably slow burningor only slightly, if at all, affected by the hot solder, and so lightlybinds the different shims together. The group of shims is easily brokenup into individual shims by striking the group upon a table or othersuitably firm object, or by striking the group a sharp blow. The paperbetween neighboring shims prevents their adhesion to each other, andonly the thin coat of solder extending across the edge of the papersneed be broken. The ridge of solder at the edge of each shim, wherepaper was present, is readily removed. And the paper on one face of eachshim is also removed; and if the paper has been gummed or otherwisefastened to the metal sheet before the punching operation abovedescribed, it may be soaked or ground oit'.-

It will be understood that our invention is not limited to theemployment of paper, but that any other suitable means or material maybe employed to prevent the shim groups from being as firmlysoldered toeach other as are the laminae of each shim.

What we claim is:

1. A shim comprising a plurality of superposed laminae held togetherwith their adjacent faces in direct contact with each other y a binderon and extending across their edges throughout substantially the entireedge surface of the laminae group.

2. A shim comprising a thick base sheet with a plurality of thin laminaesuperposed thereon-and held with their adjacent faces in direct contactwith each other by a binder on and extending across their edges and intobinding relation with said thick base sheet throughout substantially theentire edge surface of said laminae and base sheet.

3. A shim comprising a plurality of superposed laminae having holes inregister with each other and held with their'adjacent faces in directcontact by a binder on and extending across their exterior edges and notat said holes.

4. A shim comprising a plurality of superposed steel laminae heldtogether with their adjacent faces in direct contact with each other bya metallic binder on and extending across their edges throughoutsubstantially the entire edge surface of the laminae group.

5. The method of producing laminated shims, which consists in holdingshim laminae in register with each other with their adjacent faces indirect contact with each other, and applying binding material to andacross the exposed edges of said laminae throughout substantially theirentire extent.

6. The method of producing shims, which consists in holding shim laminaein register with each other with their adjacent faces in direct contact,plunging the laminae into a bath of solder or binder whereby solder isapplied throughout the external edge surface of the laminae group tohold said laminae firmly in connection with each other, and thereafterremoving the solder or binder from a small portion of the edge surfaceof the group, whereby the laminae are there exposed for insertion of aseparating instrument.

7. The method of making shims, which consists in superposing a'pluralityof sheets of the thickness of the shim laminae, punching shim laminaefrom said sheets in superposed relation, holding a plurality of shimgroups in superposed relation with the laminae of all groups held firmlyin direct facial contact with each other, applying binder throughoutsubstantially the entire exposed edge surface of all the laminae groups,and thereafter separating the roups from each other by rupturing theinder joining adjacent groups.

8. The method of making shims, which consists in superposing a pluralityof shim laminae to form a group, superposing a, plurality of groupswithinterposed spacing material, applying a binder of a characteradhering to the laminae but not to said spacing material to bind theedges of the laminae of the groups and the groups to each other, andthereafter separating the groups by rupturing the binder extendingacross said spacing material.

9..The method of making shims, which consists in superposing a pluralityof shim lamina to form a group, superposing a plurality of groups withinterposed paper, applying a binder of a character adhering to thelaminae but not to said paper to bind the edges of the laminae of thegroups and the groups to each other, and thereafter separating thegroups by rupturing the binder extending across the edge of said paper.

10. The method of making shims, which consists in superposing upon abase sheet a plurality of laminae sheets, placing with said laminae andbase sheet a sheet of separating material, punching shim groups fromsaid superposed sheet, laminae and separatin material, assembling aplurality of said groups in register with each other with saidseparating material separating neighboring groups, applying binder tothe edge surface of said laminae base and across saidseparatingmaterial, and thereafter separating the shim groups from eachother by rupturing the binder extending across said separating material.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto affixed our signatures this 21 dayof March, 1919.

HARRY H. STEPHENS. THOMAS GRAY.

